New France

The Republic of New England
has been exchanging messages with
the Republique de la Louisiane
through the Facebook chat medium.

Their page is ostensibly devoted
to the secession of Louisiana
from the U.S.A. to become a
territory of a New France.

The proprietor of the page
apparently is a French Canadian
who envisions a confederation of
French-speaking areas in North America.

He was upset about our invitation
to the maritime provinces of Canada
to join our republic, if orphaned by
the creation of a sovereign Quebec.

He has led us through an
interesting history lesson on
the fate of francophones
after the British conquest.

His plan requires annexing portions
of Maine and New Brunswick
that were part of French Canada and
are still French-speaking.

We see some objections to that
from the governments concerned.
Nevertheless, it is a bold plan
which deserves some consideration.

Inclusion of Louisiana, however,
is puzzling because there are
so few Cajuns left who spoke
only French in their childhood years.

Not to mention ignoring what
the reaction of Bobby Jindal
and the Louisiana legislature
might be to such a proposal.

Also on Facebook is a proposal
to establish a new state in the U.S.A.
to be called, "Acadia," comprising
northern Maine and New Hampshire.

Complicating the mix is the
island archipelago of Miquelon and
St. Pierre, just south of Labrador, which
is a fully functioning territory of France.

Perhaps that might be a base for
organizing the reestablishment of
a New France, fulfilling DeGaulle's
cry of, "Vive Quebec Libre!"